Building block



Nov. 8, 1932. v 1.. E. SCHWALBE 1,887,170

BUILDING BLOCK Filed 001 3, l95l 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Nov. 8, 1932 LESTER E. SGHWALBE, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN BUILDING BLOCK Application filed October 3, 1931. Serial No. 566,623.

This invention appertains to the art of building, and more particularly to wall construction for residences and other building constructions. e y

B In the art of building, it is common practice to use a backing of tile or cement and like blocks and a facing of brick. Considerable difiiculty is experienced in anchoring the brick facing to the tile, or blocks, or providing a perfect bond between the two. Generally, metal ties areemployed to unite the brick facing with the backing, These metal ties serve their purpose to. a certain extent, but do not form the most desirable union between the facing and the backing. Likewise, these metal ties are often omitted, through carelessness, or other reasons by the workmen erecting the wall.

It is, therefore, a primary object of my an effective bond between the brick facing and the backing,in which the use of all extraneous ties, such as metal ties, is eliminated, the backing being so constructed as to permit the effective and-direct anchoring 0f the brick thereto as the building of the wall progresses.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of novel means for forming the blocks for the backing, whereby certain'of the bricks of the facing canbe received in and anchored directly to the-blocks,

whereby the facing and blocks will form a substantially unitary structure.

A further salient object of myvinvention is the provision of novel means for forming blocks to be utilized in the backing of walls having formed oncertain ends thereof recesses for receiving header bricks of the facing, the blocks being formed right and left handed, that is, certain of the blocks being provided with recesses at their right hand front corners, while other blocks are formed with the recesses in their left hand front corners, the right and left hand blocks being used in alternate courses for the walls, whereby the blocks can be arranged in staggered relation.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for forming a invention to provide novel means for giving wall embodying a backing of cement or like blocks and a facing of brick whereby a dura- Itile and inexpensive wall structure will be ad. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View illustratlng one course of a wall constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a course of brick for the facing directly below 95 the course of brick illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating another course of the blocks and bricks forming the facing;

Figure 4 is a'detailed perspective view of a block constructed in accordance with my invention; v

' Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a wall constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of a wall constructed in accordance with my invention illustrating the arrangement of the blocks forming the wall back; 7

' Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectionalview through a wall constructed in ac cordance with my invention, illustrating the novel means employed for uniting the facing bricks and the blocks together;

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the latter W generally indicates a wall constructed in accordance with my invention which embodies a facing F and a backing B.

The backing B is built up of a series of blocks 10 which are constructed in a novel mannen These blocks 10 can be constructed from any desired type of material without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but I propose to construct these blocks 10 according to a special process which I am practicing. As shown, the blocks 10 are of a type which embody front and rear body portions 11 and 12 united by transverse- 1y extending webs 13. The front and rear body portions 11 and 12 and the transverse ribs 13 define vertically disposed channels or dead-air spaces 14.

In accordance with my invention, the front corner at one side of the block 10 is cut away to provide a seat 15. This seat is of substantially the same width and height as an ordinary or standard brick. One web 13 and the front body portion 12 forms an effective shoulder for receiving a brick and it is to be noted that the recess extends in substantially the distance of one-half a brick.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, the block 10 is shown to have the recess or seat'15 in its right hand front upper corner and I term blocks of this type, right hand blocks, and this type of blocks is utilized in one course of the wall, and in the next course, I use left hand blocks; that is, blocks having the recesses or seats 15 formed in their upper front left hand corners.

In constructing the wall W av course of right hand blocks are laid in the ordinary manner with mortar or cement, joinin their abutting ends. A course of brick 16 is first laid with alternate bricks running longitudinally of the wall'and one-half bricks 17 between the longitudinal bricks.

These bricks are joined with the outer face of the course of the blocks and it is to be noted that the blocks are substantially the height of two bricks. After the first course 16 of the bricks is laid, the second course of the bricks 18 is laid thereon, with the longitudinal bricks 19 of the course 18 arranged in staggered relation to the longitudinal bricks of the first course 16. Between the bricks 19 are placed header bricks 20. These header bricks 20 are of a full brick size and extend into the recesses, pockets, or seats 15 formed in theblocks 10, mortarbeing used for connecting the header bricks with the seats.

A course of left hand blocks 10 are now laid on the first course of right hand blocks, with the blocks of the second course bridging the space between the blocks'of the first course. This positions the pockets or recesses 15 of the blocks of the second course directly above the pockets or recesses 15 of the blocks in the first course. The third and fourth courses of the brick facing are now laid in exactly the same manner as the courses 16 and 1S and this process of laying the block courses and the brick courses is followed out until the desired height of the wall is reached.

It is obvious that the header bricks 20 ex tending into the pocket or recesses 15 in the blocks 10, will form an effective means for binding the brick facing to the backing and thus the wall erected in accordance with my invention will be of a. substantially unitary construction, with the blocks and the bricks forming a perfect bond.

By constructing the blocks in themanner described and shown, a strong and durable wall can be quickly and easily erected. The blocks 10 are of a light construction and the same can be readily grasped at the web portion thereof by one hand of the workman and placed in position, while the bricks can be laid with the other hand of the workman.

The construction of the blocks 10 is such that the same serves as a guide or gauge for controlling proper alignment of the brick and insures accuracy of workmanship and the uniform distribution of the brick headers. The Wall is easily constructed with economy, as no filler brick are needed and less mortar is required. The wall also insures a straight back face for plastering and insures better insulation, both for sound and weather conditions.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is 1. A building block comprising front and rear body portions, transverse webs connecting the front and rear body portions, one of the webs and one of the body portions being cut away to provide a brick receiving seat.

2. In a wall construction, a backing including a plurality of courses of blocks, each of the blocks being of a height equal to the height of twobricks, the. blocks of one course being provided with seats in their upper right hand corners, the blocks of the adjacent course being provided with seats in their upper left hand corners, a facing of bricks, the facing of brick including header bricks arranged transversely of the wall and re ceived within said seats, the blocks of one course being alternately arranged relative the blocks of an adjacent course.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a building block comprising spaced front and rear like portions and spaced transverse webs connecting the front and rear right portions together defining Vertically disposed air channels, one of the webs and one of the body portions having a seat therein for receiving a portion of a facing brick.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee. in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin.

LESTER E. SCIIWALBE. 

